


a lonely acrobat

by handyhunter



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Chì bì | Red Cliff (2008)
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-20
Updated: 2011-03-20
Packaged: 2017-10-17 03:36:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/172493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/handyhunter/pseuds/handyhunter





	a lonely acrobat

"Aiya! What are you doing up there?" Shangxiang shades her eyes against the sun as she looks up at the strange girl walking across the clothesline. It's low enough that she will probably be fine if she falls, but that does not stop Shangxiang's heart from leaping to her throat when the girl hops over a drying robe and flips off the line, does a little roll and lands neatly at her feet.

Shangxiang moves before the girl takes another breath, her fingers swift and sure. She blocks the girl's acupuncture points to her limbs and has one hand on her sword as the girl crumples to the ground.

"Ugh," she says, confused and wide-eyed. "What did you do?"

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Shangxiang counters.

"Practicing for the circus!" says the girl, as if it should be obvious. "My name's Ty Lee. What's yours?"

Shangxiang introduces herself and studies Ty Lee's reaction. She can't be from around here if she doesn't recognize Shangxiang's name.

"Are you lost?" Shangxiang asks. Her clothes look finely made, if somewhat dirty, but that could be because she's been tumbling in the dirt like one of the horses after a bath. "Where are your parents?"

At that Ty Lee looks a little abashed. "I ran away from home. Don't send me back."

Considering Shangxiang has no idea where Ty Lee is from, that's easy enough to promise. "You can be one of my handmaidens," she decides, and unblocks Ty Lee's chi. Her small band of warrior women has been increasing in number, much to her brother's dismay. Ty Lee will be both safe with and watched by her handmaidens, until Shangxiang can be sure of her loyalty. Someone with her ability to walk across ropes might prove to be useful.

"Cool," says Ty Lee, as she sits up slowly and shakes out her arms. "You remind me of Azu-- someone I knew."

Shangxiang catches Ty Lee's near slip, but the name doesn't sound familiar, so she determines that they can't be at war with them. "You'll have to tell me about her sometime," she offers.

Ty Lee nods and accepts Shangxiang's assistance in standing. "Can you teach me how to fight like you?"


End file.
